I've Found The ONE.

Hey Guys,

So Kylie Jenner has been literally EVERYWHERE. And if you missed that you must be living under a seriously big rock in the back arse of nowhere. Way back at the start of the year her sister (Kim, you probably don't know her) mentioned some of Kylie's favourite lip products that help her to achieve her over lined lips. It just so happens that one of her favourite products is also one of MY favourites. MAC Soar lip pencil. And since then it has been out of stock for months! 

Anyways, Soar is literally my go to lip pencil/lipstick for everyday, its the type of pencil you can throw in your makeup bag and use with a bazillion different looks that perfect brown neutral with just a hint of pink. Although it is a fabulous lip colour bear in mind that it is a lip pencil that will dry out your lips. But in all honesty once its on you won't have to re-apply it much throughout the day. I constantly get asked "what lip colour have you got on today?" and nine times out of ten it's usually Soar. I have noticed though that Soar looks different on everyone, so no two people wear it the same. 

Back to Kylie and her HUGE lips, there's a reason she uses this lip pencil because it makes your lips look bigger than they actually are. So if your like me and are challenged in the lip area, this is a game changer. It gives the overdrawn and bigger look without looking like you went a bit too far. If you pair this with Tom Ford Indian Rose it is just perfection! 

You can find this pencil at your local MAC counter IF it's in stock. 

Love, 

S x

Cream Eyeshadow; how it can brighten, tighten, and lock in your look.

Good evening!

Even lifting my body off of my bed to sit down in front of my laptop and type this post is working out to be a whole lot more effort than it should. That tells you exactly the kind of day I'm having. So naturally I'm doing things the easy way today. Lazy, much?

Today's post is inspired by the amount of activity I've been doing for most of the day, i.e as little as is necessary. If you read my latest post (and why wouldn't you? Shame...) then you know that MAC's Painterly paint pot is my go to eye base. It's basically a cream eye shadow that matches my skin tone. But there are other cream products in a variety of colours that you can use to create almost any eye look. These products make doing your make up quick, easy and foolproof with minimal effort. No prizes for guessing why I love them. Intrigued? Thought so. Let me break it down.

To start with, there are two kinds of cream products for the eyes; ones that set in place to last longer and ones that stay creamy. The ones that set in place can be used alone for a quick application of colour to the eye, or they can be used as an eye shadow base. The colour and texture you use will determine how the eye make up will look overall. You can use designated products like paints pots, or even gel liners. I find Anastasia Beverly Hills' "Dipbrow" to be a brilliant cream shadow as well. These all dry to last throughout the day.

Using a cream eye shadow that matches your own skin tone will simply keep the colours on longer and make them easier to blend. It'll make the colour a little more vibrant but overall they should look the same as in the pan. Using a bright base will make vivid colours appear more intense. Using a darker coloured primer will make the eye make up appear more smokey and dramatic. If you use a particular tone or colour similar to powder shadows applied on top then you'll amp up the drama and make them more vibrant! 

Example; MAC "Deeply Dashing" pressed pigment applied alone, then over "Painterly" Paint Pot and finally on top of  "Pomegranate" Colour Tattoo by Maybeline. The darker red base brings out the warmth in Deeply Dashing, changing the tone of the product.

The second kind of product, the one that stays creamy, can be a multitude of things. You can use coloured face paint, concealers, eye liner pencils, and tons more. These products tend not to last as long and definitely need to be set in place with a powder product in a similar colour. You do have much more choice of colour, though. I'd stay away from lipsticks, lip liners and cream blushes as some of the red pigments can irritate the eyes. The most popular choice for this option is pencil eye liners. They're waxy and smooth and often quite easy to blend. This option is more suited to photographic or fashion make up looks, as it won't last all day on most people. 

Cream colours are essential for many make up artists and they're a fab little technique to add to your make up routine to make day to day beautifying that little bit easier. Whether you want to add a brightened effect to your eyes (that's me of an early morning shift) or you want something more dramatic and smokey then a cream shadow will work wonders for you. 

If you decide to experiment with some more colourful products and take a step outside your own comfort zone then definitely show me! You know where to find me, as always links are at the top of the blog. 

As for me, I'm cleaning up after myself and diving into bed. Don't judge, the evenings are already getting shorter. Say nothing'! 

Until next time!

J x 

Flutter Fav!

Hi Guys!

Today I am bringing you a review of one of my favourite mascaras. I think mascara is one of the thing that is essential in every girls/guys makeup bag and there are two types of people in the world. People who spend as little as possible on a mascara and people who will splurge on a good mascara. Well I've found a happy medium!

MAC False Lashes Mascara had been my go to mascara for a long time and then somewhere along the road I took a detour and started experimenting with new mascara's. The holy ghost above must have been watching me and thought I deserved a little treat and in the post came the teeniest package from Brown Thomas, a little sample of False Lashes. That's where we rekindled our romance. 

Honestly a fabulous mascara, the cone shaped wand means you can get right into those inner and outer corners. Its a haired wand which means no poking yourself in the eye with stupid plastic applicators! I also find that every time I go to apply this mascara there is always just the right amount of product on the wand. As for longevity this mascara scores an A+ in my book unless I give my eyes a rub but that's self inflicted (bloody contacts). In the before and after pictures I only put on one coat so you could see this mascara in action also note how there is ZERO clumps!

At €24.50 it's not cheap by any means but I've had a brain wave....after every mascara save it up along with the rest of your MAC empties (6 to be exact) and return them for a free lipstick, bonus Jonas so your not only getting a deadly mascara but a free lipstick in the long run! So if your in the market for a new mascara why not try this one out.

So let me know in the comments below would you fork out that much for a mascara or would you rather by whats on offer in Boots? What's your holy grail mascara?

Love,
S

My Staple Pieces; MAC Studio Fix Powder Foundation.

Ah, home sweet home. A.K.A a Monday where I'm in the comfiest clothes I own planted in front of a laptop with photos syncing to Dropbox so I can gush about cosmetics. You know the drill by now.

The post I'll be doing today is a review I probably should have opened with. I have no idea why it's taken me so long to get around to talking about this. I'm actually a little bit embarrassed because if you've heard me talk about make up before chances are I've mentioned this at least fifteen times.

It is, of course, MAC Studio Fix Powder foundation. I first came across this baby when I saw Chrisppy use it in her videos. I thought it looked good, and I'd heard good things about powder foundations for oily skins. So I took myself off to my nearest MAC counter and picked it up. Here is a breakdown of what the product is, how I use it, and why I love it.

MAC says: "Stuido Fix is a one-step powder and foundation that provides a smooth, all-matte, full-coverage finish. Long-wearing, velvety texture that allows skin to breathe."

I say; A powder foundation with medium, buildable coverage. I disagree that this is full coverage. I would say that you can definitely build it to that level but because it's a powder I wouldn't for fear of it looking cakey. I personally layer a concealer underneath if I feel I need it. I do like the wear time on this, though. Even when my oil comes through later in the day I don't think it looks bad at all. 

On the left side of my face is one layer of 

Studioo Fix Powder. On the right side, clean skin.

How I apply; I start with clean, moisturised skin. It's important to make sure your skin is moisturised properly. This is a powder foundation so any areas with dry texture will immediately show up. I then prime with whatever product tickles my fancy on any given day. I apply Studio Fix Powder with a short, medium density buffing brush similar to a MAC 109. I find that this gives me a more natural looking finish and doesn't apply the product too thickly. A bonus for me is that if I'm feeling lazy and don't remove my facial hair (boy status showing, right?) I can buff a little bit into the edges and not have it really noticeable in that area. If I have any minor colour still coming through I use a small amount of product and add an extra layer in those places only. 

My overall verdict on this product is that it's a must-try at the very least for anyone with oiliness as their major concern. If blemishes are a worry for you this can definitely be used as a setting powder to add extra coverage over a liquid. If you don't worry a whole lot about pigmentation then try this on it's own. I like to use a balancing primer underneath and use this as my coverage. Let me know if you'd like a full base routine and I can get that done!

As always, feel free to get in touch! Let me know what you think of my wonky eyebrows as demonstrated in the above picture, or just ask about products and techniques. You do you, boo boo! 

Until next time,

stay classy San Diego!

J x 

My Essential/Favourite/Can't Live Without Kit Products:

So this is just a few products that I love, can't live without. These are products that I always seem to use personally and products that I turn to for the majority of my makeovers. Apologies about the limited range of brands, these are just products that I have used and loved, but I do need to branch out and try other brands. You can probably also tell that I love warm neutral colours, I know I need to be brave and venture out into the world of colour.

1. Smashbox Luminizing Primer: This primer just gives a sheer golden radiance to the skin which I love. I also like to use it if someone is wearing false tan as the golden glow works great paired with a tan. This primer is also great when away in the sun and worn underneath a BB or CC Cream.
   
2. MAC Strobe Cream: This is a wonder cream, it instantly hydrates and brightens skin. It works great on dry, dehydrated, tired or dull skin as it quickly boost moisture and radiance.
   

   
3. Smashbox Primer Water: So this is one of my most recent additions to my kit and I've been using it everyday since. Use it under make as a super sheer and light primer, it can also be used on top of powder to set your look for the day and throughout for an instant hydration boost. You and others will notice the difference it makes, skin looks healthy and glowing.
   
4. Inglot Duraline: This product is the best friend of winged liner and make-up artists. It is a mixing medium which can be used with gel liners to make them more fluid or with pigments to create your own liner or use it on its own with a clean angle brush to sharpen or fix a winged liner. 
   
5.  Inglot AMC Gel Liner 77: Definitely my favourite gel eye liner, the pigment is super intense and long wearing. This is the perfect winged liner product. The colour pay off is instant and doesn't budge or crease.
   
6.  MAC Warm Neutral Palette: This palette is a must have for anyone who loves a natural smokey eye. It contains 15 warm eyeshadow shades perfect for creating a range of looks but I think it is super suited to bridal looks which tend to be a little softer and romantic.
   

   
7.  Smashbox Suntan Matte Bronzer: My perfect matte bronzer, use it to warm the skin, add colour or use for a soft contour. The colour is completely matte and the powder is super light and easily buildable. But sadly it has been discontinued as it has been replaced and I am looking to trying the newer version.
   
8. MAC Paint Pots: These paint pots are great on there own blended out for a quick simple eye look, or use underneath as a base and to increase depth for a more dramatic look. I personally love Groundwork which is a warm taupe, it is a great base for a smokey eye. A few other choice colours are Indianwood, Painterly and Soft Ochre.
   

   
9.  Smashbox Halo Highlighting Wand Gold: This is a light weight fluid highlighter which is a humectant so it keeps the skin hydrated as it attracts moisture to the skin. I use under foundation and apply across the cheeks bones, centre of forehead, chin and nose to give a super dewy glow to skin.
   

 10.  Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade: This is the best brow product I have used. It is waterproof and doesn't smudge, the colour is rich and intense,a little goes a long way. Use it with a small fine angle brush to shape and define brows. It works on both full and sparse brows. I used to think I couldn't live without mascara but now I can't live without brows, specifically this product.

So I hope you liked the insight into a few of my most essential and everday products, but I do hope to try some new products in the near future, funds permitting. 

Lot of Love

A

x

The Essentials; The Brush Edition.

Monday? Check. Coffee? Check. Decaf at this hour, naturally. Another post? Check. We're in business.

Susan took up my usual haunt last Monday and did so beautifully, but I'm back this week with a post on some of my favourite brushes. These are the brushes I call on in any given situation, and the ones I think that you guys seriously need to invest in! Good brushes make all the difference when it comes to applying your war paint. 

It's a Bank Holiday Monday night so I'll keep this on the side of "Light Reading" and group these bad boys by Eyes, Skin and Lips. If anyone would like a more in depth review, just let me know and I'll throw together a lil' somethin'! For now, let's get cracking.

Eyes.

(brushes listed L-R)

Eco Tools Concealer Brush: A stiff, flat synthetic brush. Perfect for applying cream shadow. I also use this for under eye concealer, but I much prefer it for work on the eyelid.

Inglot 31T Brush: The very last word in angled brushes as far as I'm concerned. Razor thin and super precise, I love this for winged liner or for brows. The brush is flexible enough to create a soft, natural brow if needs be. 

Real Techniques Base Shadow Brush: An ideal brush to apply eye primer with. This blends cream or powder gorgeously. The brush won't absorb fluid products, making it perfect for cream products.

MAC 239: A flat brush made of goats hair. This is brilliant for packing shadow onto the eye with the best payoff. I also like this for shadow underneath the eye, as the top of the brush is thin and dense.

Inglot 6SS: A large blending brush for applying a light wash of colour, perfect for applying a contour shade into the crease. I start almost all of my eye looks with this brush to determine the space I'm working with. The 6SS is made of natural hair, so it's best for powder shadows.

MAC 217: The cult favourite. A small, oval shaped blending brush. The 217 can be used for larger areas or to add specific definition. Again this is better with powders in my experience as it is white goat's hair and can stain. I've used some popular alternatives for this brush but keep coming back to the 217.

CrownBrush C224: An oval shaped concealer brush. This is my go to brush for under eye concealer as it's dense enough to blend the product without reducing the coverage. The C224 is a basic brush I think every one should have, no one won't benefit form owning this guy.

Inglot 10S: A long, thin blending brush. This is perfect for smudging out eye liner or defining underneath the eyes as its shape keeps it really precise. I use this to create a really soft inner corner highlight as well. 

Skin.

(brushes listed L-R)

CrownBrush C435: A large, soft, angled brush. This brush blends powder bronzer over the face and neck quickly and easily without adding too much product. Plus it feels amazing on the skin!

CrownBrush C426: A huge duo-fibre brush with a domed head. I absolutely love this brush for blending powder products down onto the neck. If I have a client with a tan that doesn't quite match a shade in my kit I prefer to use a powder bronzer or foundation to match the neck as these are less likely to transfer onto clothes. This brush blends these products really softly for the most natural finish.

CrownBrush C466: A classic flat foundation brush. This is synthethic but incredibly soft. I get no streaky lines when I apply liquid products with this brush. Being totally honest, I was never a fan of this type of brush until I picked this one up. I now own three. That's how fabulous this is. 

CrownBrush C427: A smaller version of the C426, and more dense. You can be a lot more precise with this brush, I love this for applying a contour product with. Being duo fibre it works equally well with powders and creams. I own a couple of these as they work well for blush so I may use more than one at a time. 

Inglot 4SS: A large blending brush. This brush is so soft that I look for reasons to use this, just to feel it on my face! It's best for applying product in a specific area. I find this a little bit small for blush but I love it for specific contour or highlight placement. Despite being natural hair it works quite well with creams. 

Real Techniques Buffing Brush: If I'm in a rush, I pull out this guy. It blends product into the skin for a gorgeous natural finish. I use this with MAC Studio Fix Powder for easy coverage and even skin when I roll out of bed 25 minutes late. This is a Godsend. 

Lips.

(brushes listed L-R)

CrownBrush C463: An angled brush that's perfect for getting crisp lip lines. I love this for defining the outside of the cupid's bow. The edge is flat as opposed to curved so it does half of the work for you. 

Real Techniques Accent Brush: The tip of this brush is rounded, so I do love this for defining the curved bow of the lip. This is irreplaceable for me when it comes to doing dark, precise lip colours. I know this is marketed as an eye brush, but for me it's lips all the way. 

Face2 304 Lip Brush: I picked this brush up out of need rather than interest to be honest, but I ended up loving it. The brush is flexible enough to blend lip liner and lipstick together without losing control of the product. I also love this for touch ups. Once I have my shape defined, this brush fills the space really easily. 

I could go on from here, but I'll leave it at that. It's safe to say that these have become tools of my trade. If any of these become discontinued I'll have to hang up my brush belt for good! If you like the look of anything you see above, I've included links to some online shops below:

To purchase any of the CrownBrush items you can visit their online shop here.

MAC and Inglot brushes can be purchased from theie respective retail locations around Ireland. Inglot Ireland have an online shop, for their brushes you can click here. 

Real Techniques And Eco Tools retail in Boots in Ireland and can be purchased from the Boots website here. 

Face2 retail through Makeup Forever on Clarendon Street, Dublin. To purchase the Face2 Lip Brush through the Makeup Forever website, click here.

With all of that said, I'll leave it right there. As always, get in touch on our other social media locations. All of those are linked at the top of the blog. Blah,blah, blah, shameless plug and traffic driving through different platforms, you know the story by now...

Good night and God bless!

J x 

Prepped, Primed and Perfected: All about primer.

Good morning!

It's Monday. I'm up. I have a bucket of coffee and a list of some of my favourite priming products for you guys. Today I'm going to be going through what primers do, how to use them, and also give you some information on particular products that have worked really well for me. I have my homework done, let's get cracking!

First of all, lets talk about what a "primer" is. A primer is a product used after skincare but before foundation to correct any imbalances or issues with the skin. These products usually correct high colouring, excess oil or dryness in the skin among other things.

Primers are generaqlly cream, gel or liquid and are best applied with fingers and gently massaged into the skin.  Some primers can be worn alone to combat particular problems without layering make up on top.

A product might not have "Primer" on the lable but that doesn't mean it won't work brilliantly at this stage. I'll talk about this when we come to particular products below. I don't currently own (but have tried and loved!) all of the items listed below so I have links to where these products can be viewed and purchased if you feel so inclined. On we go!

Smashbox Photo Finish Light. 
Best for: Oily Skin.

This primer is one of many that uses silicone ingedients. Silicone, when used in cosmetics, gives them a nice silky texture and can absorb any excess oil. The more silicone, the thicker the formula and the softer the feel. This products is a thinner fluid, but I like that. It doesn't create a build up of excess product on oily skin, and is a staple for summer months. For combination skin where oiliness isn't so prominent, the original Photo Finish formula might be worth looking at.

To view this product, click here.

Illamasqua Hydra Veil
Best for: Dehydrated skin.

I love this product for normal/dry combination skin or dehydrated skin. This product contains glycerin which is amazing for lightweight hydration without being greasy as it infuses the skin with water instead of oil. Hydra Veil comes in a very cool looking pot with a small spatula to spoon the product onto your hand/palette. Hygiene was definitely a focal point for this one.

This is one of this products you can also incorporate into your skin care for days when make up isn't on the agenda. I love this if I have a little bit of sunburn across my nose, it's so soothing and stops my foundation irritating those areas. Illamasqua also do a Matte Veil primer for oily skins.

For more on Hydra Veil click here.

MAC Strobe Cream. 
Best for: Dry, dull skin.

This is one of those products that isn't called a primer, but works amazingly to prep dry or mature skin for foundation. This is a moisturising cream that contains a little bit of silicone for a nice silky slip, as well as multiple plant extracts like apple, grape and green tea. The best thing about this product is the pearl sheen it contains. Strobe Cream illuminates the skin immediately and creates a soft glow through foundation. It can also be layered over creamier foundations as a cream highlight. I love Strobe Cream for mature skin as it adds a healthy glow. Kudos for the fresh scent as well. (You'll know it as soon as you open the bottle, every MAC store smells like this and Fix+ )

To visit the MAC website and have a closer look at Strobe Cream go here.

No7 Brilliantly Bare Beauty Enhancer
Best for: Normal/Combination skin.

This product is fabulous. It's a light weight, silicone based product with a yellow tint. When blended into the skin you don't see any of that yellow, but on warmer skin tones it adds a soft and subtle glow. One thing I love about it is that it balances minor redness in the skin really well. Using a green base to correct redness can be too intense in some cases. The true yellow tone of this balm will balance skin tone and you can cover it really well without leaving an ashy cast to the skin. Because of the silicone this product also helps to hide pores.

For more on this little gem, check it out here

Urban Decay De-Slick Setting Spray
Best for: Oily skin.

Even though this is a setting spray you can use this guy before your foundation. Spritz De-Slick before your foundation to help control oil but with a really lightweight texture (again, summer must have for me!) and then when you're finished to lock it in. If I'm using a powder foundation, I use it underneath and buff the product over the top. I find it gives my under eye concealer something to blend into really smoothly. When I use liquid foundation and set with powder, I spray on top to take down the look of powder (I'm a setting powder fiend. I don't plan on changing my ways) and hold my make up in place. The aloe extract in this makes it nice and refreshing on the skin.

If you want a little nosey at this one, pop over here.


And that is where I stop for today! I've tried to include a varied range of skin types without being too broad and keeping you here forever. This is by no means the be all and end all of amazing primers, there's plenty more I want to get my greedy little paws on. These are just some that I've tried, loved, and would reach for again.

As always if you have any further questions on these products or want more information on priming the skin in general definitely get back to us and we'll do our best to arm you with helpful hints and info.

Until next time,
J x